Plant Profile: Peyote (Lophophora williamsii)
Karen Also called mescal button, this spineless cactus is native to southern Texas and northern Mexico, and is a member of the cactus family, Cactaceae, that also includes prickly pear and…
Plant Profile: Heartleaf Penstemon (Keckiella cordifolia aka Penstemon cordifolius)
Native to chaparral and woodlands of the coast and coastal mountains of southern California and northern Baja California, this summer deciduous shrub is a member of the plantain family, Plantaginaceae,…
Weeds and their Control: Rattlebox (Crotalaria spectabilis)
Also called cat’s bell, this herbaceous annual is native to India and Southeast Asia but was introduced the southeastern US, probably as green manure, but it escaped cultivation, naturalized, and…
Book Review: The Value of Weeds
Karen Meyers In her book, The Value of Weeds, author Ann Cliff explores the beneficial potential of weeds and how we can use them. She begins with a discussion of the many…
Plants of Colonial Williamsburg: Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare aka Chrysanthemum vulgare)
Tansy is a perennial herb and a member of the aster family, Asteraceae, that also includes daisy, yarrow, and lettuce. It is native to Europe and Asia but was introduced…
Plants for a Plant Zoo: Alligator Plant (Kalanchoe daigremontiana aka Bryophyllum daigremontianum)
The alligator plant deserves a place in a plant zoo on the basis of its name alone but another name, mother of thousands, gives a better idea of the uniqueness…
Plants for a Plant Zoo: Wolfsbane (Aconitum napellus)
Wolfbane has a long a interesting history. According to legend aconite grew on the hill where Hercules fought Cerberus, the three headed dog that guarded the underworld. The dog’s spittle…
Plant Profile: Tiger Lily (Lilium lancifolium aka L. tigrinum)
Native to China, Japan, Korea and far eastern Russia, this vigorous, easy to grow perennial bulb is a member of the Liliaceae family that also includes tulip, crown imperial, and…
Plants for a Plant Zoo: Common Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)
Few plants have flowers that are as appealing as common foxglove. The 2-3″ long blooms that cover the 4-5′ tall flowering stalks are purple with enticing spots inside and appear…
Plant Profile: Buffalo Bur Nightshade (Solanum rostratum)
Also known as buffalo-bur, spiny nightshade, Colorado bur, Kansas thistle, bad woman, Mexican thistle, and Texas thistle, this annual is native to the Great Plains and a member of Solanaceae…